Bytes of Latest IT Security News and Updates for this Week

WhatsApp Site taken down by HackersWhatsApp has again made the headlines, thanks to a hacking group called KDMS Team. Netizens who visited the Web site of the most popular instant messaging service, reported defacement of the site. The company issued a statement admitting that their Web site was hijacked and redirected to another IP address. Reportedly, the site was defaced with a pro-Palestinian message, which began with “You Got Pwned.” WhatsApp has assured that the hack did not compromise any user data. Read the entire story here.

Good News for Internet Explorer UsersIf our readers can recall, we had put up a blog post about a serious security vulnerability (CVE-2013-3893) in Internet Explorer. Microsoft did release a temporary patch to mitigate the risk of the vulnerability, but did not roll out any permanent patch. News are up, that the company has finally fixed the security flaw, in its Patch Tuesday security bulletin. We recommend our readers to install the updates, if they have missed doing so. Source: www.pcworld.com

Google chairman Eric Schmidt Stands by the Security of AndroidsSecurity incidents involving Android are not something new nowadays. From fake ‘ad-infested’ apps to those that are designed for identity theft, malicious apps are discovered every now and then in Google Play. But Google chairman Eric Schmidt has rubbished the possibility of Android being less secure. In fact, he stated that it is more secure than iOS. He might have drawn some good laughs, and raised quite a few eyebrows too. Reportedly, about 92% of all mobile malware have Android in their cross hair. Also, only 36.5% per cent of Android devices are running Jelly Bean, which they say, is more secure. But then, in Schmidt’s defense, Android holds 51% of the US market share. Source: readwrite.com

Tighten Open-Source Software Security and get paid by GoogleGoogle is famous for its bug bounty programs, where it generously fills the pockets of deserving candidates. Now, the Internet giant has launched a new program where it intends to draw programmers into making open-source software more secure; this includes even the non-Google open-source projects. Let’s say, Google is trying to make the Web community a safer place. Reward ranges from $500 to $3,133.70. Know more about this program here.

Facebook “Graphic app” hoax
Lately, one of my friends on Facebook put up a post on something called “Graphic app”. According to the post, with this new feature, anyone on FB can view our photos, likes, and comments. Here’s what the original message reads:

To all of you who are on my list of contacts of Facebook. I haven’t wanted to do this, but after finding all of my photos located on another site, I would like to ask a favor of you…. You may not know that Facebook has changed its privacy configuration once again. Thanks to the new “Graphic app”, any person on FB anywhere in the world can see our photos, our “likes” and our “comments”. During the next two weeks, I am going to keep this message posted and I ask you to do the following and comment “DONE”. Those of my friends who do not maintain my information in private will be eliminated from my list of friends, because I want the information I share with you, my friends, to remain among my friends and not be available to the whole world. I want to be able to publish photos of my friends and family without strangers being able to see them, which is what happens now when you choose “like” or “comment”. Unfortunately we cannot change this configuration because FB has made it like this.

1. So, please, place your cursor over my photo that appears in this box (without clicking) and a window will open.
2. Now move the cursor to the word “Friends”, again without clicking and then on “Settings”.
3. Un-check “Life Events” and “Comments and Like”. This way my activity with my family and friends will no longer be made public.
4. Now, copy and paste this text on your own wall (do not “share” it!).

We would like to notify our readers that, this is nothing but a hoax. It is not new, but it is still doing the rounds on Facebook. There is no such app as “Graphic app”, and Facebook has not made any changes in privacy settings. Your likes, comments and photos will be visible to others, depending on the settings you have made. You can read our post where we have listed out some tips on how to make Facebook hack proof.